Date of Observation: 01/25/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: The southern side of Ruby Peak to 12,000′.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Intentionally triggered a fresh wind slab that was about a foot thick and 40′ wide, D1 in size, on a windloaded east aspect near treeline. Triggered several other minor pockets on small features.
Weather: Light snowfall, light to moderate winds with periods of blowing snow. Cold temps.
Snowpack: Sensitive fresh drifts ranged from 3″ to 12″ thick, with frequent localized cracking and occasional collapses and shooting cracks on drifted features. Some slabs were cracking on precip particles, some were on a layer of near-surface facets that formed during the recent dry weather.
A profile targeting a relatively shallow slope similar to the one that avalanched on Ruby a week ago produced unreactive test results. The slab was about 5 feet deep, up to pencil hard near its base, on 1F- rounding facets (1mm).
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- Skier triggered wind slab below a cross loaded ridge.
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- Shooting cracks on a small drifted feature.
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- Snow profile on the shoulder of Ruby
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- Deep strong snowpack.
